Royal Pavilion

As Prince of Wales, George IV first visited Brighton in 1783, aged 21, partly on the recommendation of his doctors who thought that the sea water might ease the swellings in the glands of his neck. He also found the relaxed atmosphere of the town a welcome relief from the constraints of the staid and stifling court of his father, George III. The Prince's Royal Pavilion grew over 35 years from a simple farmhouse to a spectacular palace. In 1787 Henry Holland extended the original farmhouse into a neo-classical building know as the 'Marine Pavilion'. From 1815-1823 John Nash used new technology to transform the Pavilion into the Indian style building that exists today.

Part of a Designated Collection of national importance is on display at this venue.

Venue Type:

Museum, Historic house or home

Opening hours

October to March 10am–5.15pm (last tickets at 4.30pm)April to September 9.30am–5.45pm (last tickets at 5pm)

Closed 24 December (from 2.30pm) and all day on 25 and 26 December

Admission charges

Adult £11.50Child (5-15) £6.20

Family tickets2 adults with up to 2 children £29.20 1 adult with up to 2 children £17.70

Discounts

Museums Association

National Art Pass

English Heritage

International Council of Museums

Part of Brighton & Hove Museums' Designated Collection of Decorative Art, which you can also see at Hove Museum & Art Gallery, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery and Preston Manor, is on display here. Please contact Brighton Museums for more information if you wish to see a specific item.

The collections of decorative arts include the Regency furniture and silver-gilt displayed in the Royal Pavilion, the Macquoid furniture at Preston Manor, the Willett Collection of ceramics illustrating popular history, and outstanding holdings of British and European 20th century decorative design and craft.

Adorned with gilded dragons, carved palm trees and imitation bamboo staircases, the Palace's unique style mixes Asian exoticism with English eccentricity. Daring and inventive colours feature throughout, and there are many original items on loan from HM The Queen.

Collection details

Key artists and exhibits

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Exhibition (permanent)

Indian Military Hospital Gallery

18 November 2014 — 31 December 2018 *on now

The Royal Pavilion served as a hospital for Indian Soldiers during WW1.

From December 1914 to February 1916, the Royal Pavilion was offered for use as a hospital for troops from the Indian Corps wounded on the Western Front in France and Flanders during World War I. Paintings, archive photographs, contemporary accounts and film footage recall in vivid form a remarkable and often forgotten story from Brighton’s history.

Admission

Free with normal admission charge to the Royal Pavilion.

Exhibition (permanent)

The Royal Pavilion as a Hospital for Limbless Soldiers

20 April 2016 — 1 April 2020 *on now

A display about the 6,000 amputee soldiers who received treatment, rehabilitation and training at the Royal Pavilion during the First World War.

Website

Jane Austen By The Sea

17 June 2017 — 8 January 2018 *on now

The display will reassess Austen’s relationship with the town in the light of a long-term misunderstanding, arising from a hand-written letter of 8 January 1799. Curator Dr Alexandra Loske said: “For many years, Austen has been quoted as having written: ‘I assure you that I dread the idea of going to Brighton as much as you can do..’, but her sentence actually referred to Bookham, a village in Surrey, rather than Brighton. We now know that Austen may not have felt as negatively about the town as has been thought.”

Walking Dress, 1818 Fashion plate from Ackermann’s Repository of Arts.., University of Sussex, Special CollectionsPhoto: James PikeJane Austen by the Sea will look at the seaside context of Austen’s plots and paint a picture of the leading resort of Brighton in the early 1800s, when it was a fashionable ‘watering place’ featured in novels like Pride and Prejudice.

George IV, who created the Royal Pavilion and spent long periods living there when he was Prince Regent, was a high-profile fan of Austen’s – and although she seemed not to approve of his lifestyle she was encouraged to dedicate Emma to him in 1815.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Seasonal event

Christmas at the Royal Pavilion

18 November 2017 — 2 January 2018 *on now

Experience a magical Christmas at the Royal Pavilion. The fires are lit, the candles are flickering, the spectacular Banqueting Room table is laid with after dinner treats and the building is transformed with festive decorations and glittering trees. Pavilion-inspired decorations including butterflies, birds and flowers bring sparkle, glamour and Christmas cheer for all the family. Join us for drop-in activities and spot George the playful Cat on our family trail.

NEW for 2017! Enjoy the rare chance to take your own festive photo in our Victorian-style Sleigh in the magical Music Room where George IV entertained his guests in style. Wear your best Christmas jumper and share your festive photos with us #RoyalPavilionXmas

Suitable for

Any age

Admission

Adult £13.00Child (5-15) £7.50Concessions £11.50

Website

Christmas Banquets at the Royal Pavilion

15 December 2017 6:30-11pm

22 December 2017 6:30-11pm

The Royal Pavilion invites you to celebrate Christmas in regal splendour. Step into the past and join us for a drinks and canapé reception followed by a three course dinner with wine and coffee in the palace’s magnificent Banqueting Room.

Catering is supplied by JRC Events, menu available on request from the bookings office. Private tables of 10 available; smaller groups will be asked to share a table.

Website

E-mail

Telephone

03000 290900

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.